On March 31, US President Donald Trump expressed a cautious threat about the possibility of imposing sanctions against Russian oil if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to fulfill his obligations under the agreement. However, Trump hastened to point out that there was no doubt that the Kremlin leader would fulfill his part of the agreement and be able to reach peace.
During a meeting with journalists, Trump said that, if necessary, he could introduce secondary tariffs for Russian oil. However, he noted that he does not want to go to such a step because he seeks to avoid escalation of sanctions. "I do not want to introduce secondary tariffs against his oil, but I think I will do it if I assume that he is not coping with his work," Trump said.
The US President stressed that it is important for him to conclude a peace agreement that will stop the violence and death of people, including Russian and Ukrainian soldiers. "I want him to conclude an agreement for us to stop the murder of Russian soldiers, Ukrainian soldiers and other people," Trump added, emphasizing the importance of achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Trump expressed confidence that Putin would fulfill his obligations under an agreement that would be relevant to end the war in Ukraine. However, he also noted that Ukraine must fulfill its part of the agreement. In particular, the US President reminded that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is "trying to review the Rare Earth's Factory", although he did not disclose specific details of this process.
Trump added that the US has already allocated $ 350 billion assistance to Ukraine, while Europe has only provided $ 100 billion. According to him, the Rare Earth Factory Agreement with Ukraine will help the United States compensate for these costs.
In his statement, Trump also commented on the prospects for Ukraine's accession to NATO, noting that it was, in his opinion, one of the main reasons for the beginning of the war. "This was obviously the reason for the start of the war," Trump summed up, hinting at geopolitical factors that could contribute to the exacerbation of the conflict.
